Index-book.



J. BARKER. INDEX BOOK.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.17, 1912.

1, 1 O8, 317 P tented Aug. 25, 1911 'WZt-nesges 1327c tar UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES BARKER, OF DETROIT. MICHIGAN,

INDEX-BOOK.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES BARKER, a citixen of the United States of America, residingat Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Indexlooks, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the ac companying drawings.

My invention relates to index books and has among the objects thereof to provide a r ;olistruction of book which will permit a given account or other record in the book to be readily found, and to so arrange the several parts that the book may be easily and cheaply manufactured.

The invention consists in the peculiar construction, relation and combination of elements as will more fully hereinafter appear.

While my invention is equally applicable to numerous kinds of books, I will show and describe the same as embodied in a ledger.

In the d1awings,-Figure l is a plan view of the book; and Fig. isa,similar view illustrating the parts in a different relation.

The ledger is divided by means of a primary index or master tabs A into aplu rality of sections, each of which has the leaves ll thereof divided into subdivisions,

the subdivisions being indicated by tabs C projecting from one edge of the leaves. Arranged at the front of each section is an index sheet D and a corresponding index sheet lil also arranged at the end or bottom of each section. These index sheets contain a secondary index such as the letters AA-AD, AEAL, etc, and a subindcx as 1, 2, 3, etc., both the secondary index and the sub-indices being arranged in a vertical column F adjacent the edge of the sheet corresponding to the edges of the leaves that are provided with the marginal tabs and the sub-indices being positioned adjacent or opposite their respective secondary indices. Preferably the tabs C are formed as integral projections of the leaves opposite their bound edge and are positioned to be arranged in stepped relation,

the tabs being provided upon both sideswith sub-indices 1, 2, 3, etc, corresponding to the sub-indices of the vertical column F. By this arrangement, no matter at what page the book is opened, there will always be a complete sub-index visible on the tabs.

As shown, the index sheets D E have the edges H thereof in substantially the same Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 17. 1912.

Patented Aug. 25, 1914.

Serial No. 720,885.

plane as the edges I of the tabs D and, therefore, when the book is opened to the first page of a subdivision, as in Fig. 1, the vertical column of indices of the index sheet at the bottom of the section will be covered by the marginal tabs. However, the vertical column F of the index sheet D will be in position to be observed. \Vhen the book is opened at an intermediate point of a. section, in Fig. a portion only of the vertical column of indices of each of the. index sheets will be exposed to view, but the part of the vertical column of one sheet which is covered corresponds to the portion of the vertical column of the other sheet which exposed, the exposed portions of the vertical columns of the two index sheets therefore forming a complete index.

To find an account under a given name, as Banks the bookkeeper turns to the master tab .liaving B thereon and opens the book to any portion of the section under such master tab. But assume that the book is opened to the first page of the section, the parts will then be shown in Fig. l. The secondary indices AA-AD, AF-AL, etc. of the sheet D are run down to Ban and the sub-index under Ban ascertained, which in the present instance is '7. The bookkeeper then places his thumb on the tab having the Slll'P-ll'lflQX T thereon and opens the book to this sul'i-division, the parts then being as shown in Fig. 2. If after the book is opened to the point illustrated in the latter figure, it is desired to find an. account under the name of Anderson. it is not necessary to turn the leaves back to the beginning of the subdivision, but since the portions of the vertical columns of the two index sheets which are exposed form a completed vertical column, the bookkeeper can readily ascertain the sub-index of the subdivision desired,

which would be 3, as will be readily seen down and the secondary indices of the subdivision ascertained. The tab for this subdivision or 12 is at the right of the book. Thus by the arrangement of parts heretofore described, not only is there a complete secondary and sub-index exposed at any point of section to which the book is opened, but furthermore, the arrangement provides a book that is indexed both right and left handed. This latter feature is highly advantageous as in all single inbexes it it is necessary when the book opened at an intermediate point of the section to first turn to either the beginning or the end of the section before another given account can be located.

A very highly advantageous feature or a book embodying my invention is that the marginal edg s of the index sheets containing the vertical columns lie within the plane of the outer ends of the tabs, bcitore stated, since this in. cilect providcs--as tar as binding is concerned a book having all the pages thereof oi? the same size. Such. a structure greatly reduces the cost of binding over a book having leaves of *arying lengths or Widths.

it is to be understood of course, that it the book is composed of only one section the master tabs are omitted. hen formed of a plurality of sections, preferably the index sheet has upon one side a vertical column of indices for one section, While the opposite taco contains the column of indices for the adjacent section. Also the same arrangement of the marginal tabs indicating'the subdivisions and the sub-indices on the tabs is employed for the various sections, this permits using like sheets for corresponding subdivisions and further allo' *s the printing of indices on the tabs C to be standardized, so to speak. .ln ;l.orn'1ing the book, theretore, tie secondary index of each section may be of any desired arrangement, but the subindex remains the same.

V hat I claim my invention is:

1. i book including a section composed of a plurality of leaves divided into subdivisions and having tabs on the same edges thereof indicating the subdivisions, said tabs being arranged in stepped relation, indices on the tabs, each tab being provided with like indices upon both faces thereof, an index sheet positioned at the end of the section, a column of indices designating the subdivisions arranged along the edge of the sheet subjacent to the tabbed edges of the leaves, sub-indices in said column relating to the indices on said tabs, said index sheet having the marginal edge thereof containing the vertical column positioned substantially in the plane of the outer edges of the tabs, and a second index sheet arranged at the beginning of the section and similar to the first-- mentioned index sheet.

2. A. book comprising a plurality of leaves, n'laster tabs dividing said leaves into sections, the leaves of each section being arranged in subdivisions and having tabs on the edges thereof opposite the bound edge indicating the subdivisions, said tabs being arranged in stepped relation, iudiccs on the tabs, each of the latter having like indices upon opposite faces thereof, an index sheet at the end of each section, secondary index designating the subdivisions arranged in a vertical column along the edge 01. the sheet opposite the bound edge, sub-indices in said column relating to the indices on said tabs and positioned subjacent their respective secondary indises, said index sheet having the marginal edge thereof containing the vertical column positioned substantially in the plane of the outer edges of the tabs, and a second index sheet arranged. at the beginning of each section and similar to the first ntrentioned index sheet.

In testimony whereof I a'l'lix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JAMES BARKER.

l i it-nesses WM. J. BELKNAP, Jimrns P. BARRY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, I). C. 

